The invention relates to a traction mechanism tensioner that is also designated as an annular tensioner for a traction mechanism drive, such as a chain or belt drive of an internal combustion engine, preferably a diesel or gasoline engine of a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, truck, bus, or agricultural commercial vehicle, with a base unit, an annular tensioning arm that is supported so that it can rotate about a rotational axis relative to the base unit, wherein a tensioning roller provided for pretensioning a section of an endless traction mechanism is arranged on the tensioning arm, and also with two bearing components that are connected to each other and by which bearing components the tensioning arm is supported on the base unit so that they can rotate.
Traction mechanism tensioners according to the class are already known from the prior art. Here, e.g., DE 10 2012 210 557 A1 discloses a belt tensioning device for a belt drive, in particular, for an auxiliary unit belt drive of an internal combustion engine/combustion engine. The belt drive has a driven belt pulley that is connected to an auxiliary unit so that it can rotate about a rotational axis, at least one drive belt pulley, and a belt. With the belt, the driven belt pulley can be driven. The belt tensioning device has a tensioning roller and a tensioner housing and is connected mechanically to a housing of the auxiliary unit by the tensioner housing. Torque is transferred only in one rotational direction of the belt pulley.
Prior art is also known from DE 10 2011 053 869 A1 that likewise discloses a belt tensioning device for a belt drive, wherein the belt drive has at least one unit with a housing, a drive shaft, and a belt pulley, as well as an endless belt for driving the belt pulley.
Various traction mechanism tensioners are already known that have a tensioning arm that is, in turn, always supported so that it can rotate relative to a base component/base unit. However, it has proven disadvantageous in these constructions that components with relatively complex designs frequently have to be used, which form, for example, the tensioning arm and its support. There is also often a relatively large number of components in order for the traction mechanism tensioner to have the longest possible service life, which, however, also increases the manufacturing expense of the traction mechanism tensioner.